Fortunately, a few days later, Xie Zhao brought home his first month’s wages.
After working an entire month, he had earned only five hundred copper coins. One hundred coins had been deducted for meals since he ate lunch at Master Zhang’s residence, leaving him with just four hundred coins.
At this rate, it would take them two years of saving every single coin without eating or drinking to accumulate ten taels of silver.
By then, Xie Zhao would have recovered his memories and returned to where he belonged.
If she were still penniless by then, he would definitely take her away and marry her off to one of his friends or subordinates.
Given Xie Zhao’s status, could anyone associated with him possibly be ordinary? Even the guards standing watch at the gate were noble sons far beyond her reach.
With her background, marrying into a family like that would only make her miserable.
Forget it.
She’d much rather stay in the house her parents had left her, rebuild the family business, and someday recruit a dependable live-in husband.
With Xie Zhao as her sworn elder brother backing her, as long as she stayed away from noble families, no one would dare swallow up her family’s property.
The only problem…
Money.
“Sigh…”
Jiang He let out another long sigh.
Xie Zhao looked up.
“What’s wrong?”
“After paying for food and daily expenses, we can’t even save a hundred coins a month. At this rate, when will we ever save enough for travel expenses?”
The joy on Xie Zhao’s face from receiving his wages vanished after hearing her words.
As a grown man…
He felt utterly useless.
“Jiang He, I’ll find a way to earn more money.”
Pulled out of her anxious thoughts, Jiang He looked up and saw the guilty expression on his face. She quickly waved her hands.
“No, that’s not what I meant. I’m not saying you earn too little. I’m saying I’m useless. I don’t know how to do anything, and I can’t help at all.”
“Who says our Hehe is useless? You can even understand account books that complicated. As the saying goes, ‘Even the cleverest housewife can’t cook without rice.’ You simply haven’t had a chance to show what you’re capable of.”
His serious praise made Jiang He laugh.
“Actually, these past few days I’ve been looking for work. I saw some shops hiring accountants, but the moment they saw I was a girl—and such a young one—they chased me away like I was a fly. This world really is unfair. Just because I’m a woman, I’m automatically looked down on.”
“Mhm. It’s all because those officials aren’t doing their jobs.”
Jiang He froze.
Hearing those words come from Xie Zhao’s mouth…
She couldn’t help wondering what he would think after recovering his memories.
“I’ll keep looking tomorrow. Maybe one of the shops will be willing to hire me.”
“Don’t go.”
Xie Zhao shook his head.
“What respectable family lets a teenage girl work outside and struggle to make a living? It only makes the men of the household look incompetent. Trust me. I’ll figure out a way to earn more money.”
“Huh? But I…”
He cut her off.
“Stay home and don’t do anything. If you can lie down, don’t sit. If you can sit, don’t stand. The less energy you use, the less food you’ll need. That alone would be helping me tremendously.”
Jiang He: “…”
That’s… considered a money-saving strategy?
…
For the past several days, Xie Zhao couldn’t stop thinking about Jiang He’s worried expression whenever money was mentioned.
Remembering the “cursed” beam in the west wing, he hesitated before asking Lu Changgeng,
“How much more do the workers who install the main beam make?”
Lu Changgeng replied,
“We earn five hundred coins a month. Guess how much the beam installers earn.”
“I have to guess?”
“How much?”
“A junior beam installer earns a thousand coins. A master craftsman like Master Wang makes fifteen hundred a month.”
Xie Zhao was shocked.
“That much?”
“Mm. And that’s not all. Once the main beam is successfully installed, the homeowner also gives the crew a bonus.”
“There’s a bonus too? How much?”
“That depends on how generous the homeowner is.”
Xie Zhao thought for a moment.
“If I were the one to install that main beam in the west wing… how much do you think the bonus would be?”
Lu Changgeng stared at him in disbelief.
“Ziming… what nonsense are you talking about?”
“I’m serious. I need money.”
“You need money, sure—but that doesn’t mean you should gamble with your life. Installing the main beam isn’t just about strength. It takes skill. Not just anyone can do it.”
Lowering his voice, he added beside Xie Zhao’s ear,
“Besides, everyone says there’s something strange about that west wing. Three people have already fallen trying to install that beam. It just refuses to go up. Maybe there’s something… unclean there. Ziming, don’t be stupid.”
Everything Lu Changgeng said, Xie Zhao already knew.
He had seen it with his own eyes.
But he needed money too badly.
Especially whenever Jiang He’s worried face while drinking her thin porridge appeared in his mind.
Even if it wasn’t for travel expenses, earning more money would at least let them eat better.
“Enough. Just tell me your guess. If I manage to get that beam up there, how much of a bonus would I receive?”
“I honestly don’t know… but I’d guess… at least two taels of silver.”
Two taels?
That was equivalent to four months of his wages.
Xie Zhao’s heart pounded.
He made up his mind.
Getting to his feet, he walked straight toward the foreman.
Lu Changgeng hurried after him and grabbed his arm.
“Ziming! You still have your little sister to look after! Don’t do something foolish!”
Xie Zhao gently pulled his arm free.
“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
He walked up to the foreman and stated his intentions directly.
The foreman looked him up and down in surprise.
“You think you can install the main beam? Ever done it before?”
“Well… no. But I’ve watched the others these past few days. I think I can do it.”
The foreman snorted.
“You watched someone else do it, and now you think you can?”
Xie Zhao answered with the same determination.
“I’d like to try. Please give me a chance.”
“Fine.”
The foreman shrugged.
“But let’s make one thing clear. If you fall to your death or end up crippled, we’re not responsible.”
He paused before adding,
“But if you really manage to get that beam up there, the homeowner won’t shortchange you.”
“That’s enough for me.”
“Good. Then go ahead.”
Xie Zhao nodded and headed toward the west wing.
Everyone stopped working to watch him.
The foreman sneered.
“Another fool who values money more than his life.”
Standing beneath the unfinished roof, Xie Zhao looked up.
The highest ridge beam still hadn’t been installed.
It was over twenty feet above the ground.
He had never done work like this before.
Truthfully…
He was terrified.
His palms were already slick with sweat.
But he needed the money.
Taking a deep breath, Xie Zhao climbed the ladder leaning against the wall.
The ladder only reached the lower section of the roof.
To reach the very top of the ridge, he had to climb the rest with his bare hands.
Below, the craftsmen watched as he slowly made his way upward.
Eventually, he reached the top of the ridge and stood steadily where he could reach the mortise-and-tenon joint.
The foreman’s expression changed.
“Well… he’s got guts.”
Most people would have trembling legs after climbing that high.
“Foreman! Send up the beam!” Xie Zhao shouted from above.
The foreman immediately ordered several workers to hoist the beam.
The massive beam hung suspended by only two thick hemp ropes.
As the wind blew, it swayed back and forth.
The moment Xie Zhao grabbed hold of it, the beam nearly pulled him off the roof.
He immediately let go to steady himself before changing his position.
Everyone below held their breath.
“Ziming! Be careful!”
Lu Changgeng shouted anxiously.
Seeing the danger, the foreman quickly yelled to the workers below,
“Move the straw mats underneath!”